1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pumping system for a multiphase fluid that is particularly suited for production of hydrocarbons in environments where human intervention is difficult or even impossible and where one of the requirements is high equipment reliability.
The invention applies in particular to production of hydrocarbons from at least one submerged wellhead in a field such as an offshore field, the hydrocarbons being a multiphase mixture, generally gas-liquid hydrocarbon-water, under pressure.
The invention also applies in particular to production of hydrocarbons from at least one wellhead located in an environment to which access is difficult, such as in virgin forest in remote locations.
The device according to the invention allows, in particular, pumping of a liquid phase and a gas phase in a single pipe and hence avoids the use of a phase separator and two separate pipes for transporting the pumped fluids separately.
The device according to the invention is also suitable for pumping a multiphase fluid including a dispersed solid phase, such as sand or rock debris while effectively evacuating all of the multiple phase constituents without the formation of solid particle deposits in the bottom of a pumping chamber having a head, cylinder and reciprocating piston.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of rotary multiphase compressor pumps is known, but their cost is very high and their efficiency is moderate, particularly because of substantial friction losses. These losses are linked to the high rotational speed and to the throughput, among other factors.
The device according to the present invention allows multiphase fluids to be pumped while retaining good efficiency while preventing the formation of solid particle deposits on a bottom of a pumping chamber having a head, cylinder and a sliding piston.